Combination workbench and drawing table



July 21, 1953 'J. A. SWAINBANK 2,646,330

COMBINATION WORKBENCH AND DRAWING TABLE Filed April 20, 1951 A 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i g /9 i w I 7 g 4 FIG. 3.

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COMBINATION WORKBENCH AND DRAWING TABLE Filed April 20, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 w j 2/ y Q AW 40% #76. a

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Patented July 21,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE COMBINATION WORKBENCH AND DRAWING i TABLEJames A. Swainbank, Flushing, N. Y. 7 Application April 20, 1951, SerialNo. 222,040

3 Claims; (01. 312-316) 1 l This invention relates to combinationfurniture and more particularly to an article of furniture that can beused as a table, a work bench or a drawing board.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved'articleof combination furniture which, when closed, has the appearance of anordinary furniture table and is neat and attractive and suitable for usein living quarters, and which can beopenedin one way to provide a workbench and associated tool rack and in a ends of the frame. A-flat topI3, also of elongated, rectangular shape, is secured to one. side of theframe and projects marginally beyond the side and end members of theframe, and table legs, as indicated at I4, I5, I6 and I! are secured tothe frame, one of each corner thereof and project from the frame in adirection away from different way to provide an inclined drawing,

. Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 33 ofFigure 1; d

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 55 of Figure4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a top portion of the deviceshowing a" structural detail;

Figure Tis-a fragmentary top plan view also showing the structuraldetail illustrated in Figure 6, but with the partsin a somewhatdifierent relative position; I I

FigureS isa transverse'cross sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 2,but with'the device shown in closed condition; 7 V

Figure 9is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 99 of Figure8; and I Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the mannerof attaching a tray to the device when used as "a drawing board.

Withcontinued reference to the drawings, the," article of furniturecomprises a-frame of elongated rectangular shape which includes twoframe side members I0 and II disposed in spaced apart and substantiallyparallel relationship to each other and two frame end members, one ofwhich is indicated at I2,'extending between the side inembers I0 and IIattherespecti'vely opposite the table top I3 and substantiallyperpendicular to the latter. 7

','As illustrated in Figure 3 for the leg I6, the adjacent'ends of theside member I0 and the end member I2 are spaced apart and are squaredrelative to the remainder of the members and the leg is of square crosssectional shape and is partly received between the spaced apart ends ofthe frame members It and I2 with one corner projecting-inwardly of theframe.

A brace I8 extends diagonally across the corner of the frame and issecured at its opposite ends to the frame members In and I2. This braceis spaced from the adjacent corner of the table leg it and is providedwith an aperture substantially at its midlength location and a lag screwis extends through the aperture in the brace and is threaded into thetable leg I6 with its head bearing against the inner side of the braceto rigidly but detachably secure thetable leg to the frame. The othertable legs are of the same shape and are secured v to the frame in thesame manner.

The side members I0 and II of the frame are provided with mutuallyregistering openings of elongated, rectangular shape and a drawer 29 ismounted in the frame at the under side of the top I3 and is slidablethrough the openings in the frame side members outwardly of either ofthe-frame side members, as may be desired.

' A box, generally indicated at 2I, of elongated, rectangular shape ismounted on the table top I3 and has side members 22 and '23 disposed inspaced apart and substantially parallel relation-- ship to each other,end members it and 25 and a top member 26 secured to one side of theframe provided by the side member 22 and the end members 24 and 25. Theside member 23 is rigidly secured along one edge to the table top I3adjae cent one longitudinal edge of the table top and ber 24 the box topmember 26 is provided with tool supports, such as the brackets 28 and 29for supporting a saw, the row of spring clips 36 for supporting tools,such as hammers, screwdrivers, chisels, et cetera, and a cabinet 3| forcontaining tools, fasteners, and other articles.

The cabinet 31 may conveniently comprise two compartments 32 and 33mounted in an elongated housing and pivotally connected at their outerends to the housing, as indicated at 34 in Figure 5, so that the innerends of these compartments can be swung inwardly and outwardly to rendertheir contents accessible or to close them into the casing. A springdetent, as indicated at 35 in Figure 5, may be provided at the inner endof each compartment to releasably latch the compartment in closedcondition.

Stays 31 and 38 are disposed at the inner sides of the end members 24and 25 respectively and each stay is pivotally connected at one end tothe associated end member substantially at the mid-length location ofsuch end member. At its other end each stay is provided with arectangular notch 39 which closely receives the rectangular crosssectional shape of the side member 23 of the box 2| and hooks 46 and 4|project inwardly of the side member 23, one near each end thereof. 7

The notches 39 in the free or distal ends of the stays 31 and 38 receivethe fixed side member 23 and the hooks 40 and 4! engage the outer edgesof the stays to lock them in engagement with the fixed side member. Thebox structure will then be securely held in substantially verticalposition relative to the table top and the table top may now be used asa work bench while the box structure will constitute an associated toolrack.

The free or distal end portions of the stays 31 and 38 can swing pastthe outer ends of the corresponding hooks 43 and 41 when the boxstructure is raised to upright position and, after the box structure hasbeen brought to upright position, the stays are swung inwardly away fromthe adjacent end members 24 and 25 and into engagement with thecorresponding hooks.

An accentric cam 42 is pivotally mounted on the inner side of the endmember 24 adjacent the pivotal connection between this cam member andthe stay 31 and a similar cam, not illustrated, is mounted on the innerside of the end member 25 to cooperate with the stay 38. With the boxstructure 2! in an inclined position relative to the table top, asillustrated in Figure 2, and with the free additional ends of the stays31 and 38 resting upon the upper surface of the table top i3, the camsmay be rotated to bear upon the upper edges of the stays and support thebox structure at selected positions of inclination, so that its topmember can be used as a drawing board.

A molding strip 43 extends along the edge of the box top member 26adjacent the fixed side member 23 and is held onto the top member 26 byscrews threaded into the corresponding edge of the top member andextending through transversely elongated slots in the molding strip sothat the molding strip can be raised slightly above the top surface ofthe top member 26 to provide a ledge to prevent paper and drawinginstruments from sliding oiT of the top member of the box structurewhile the latter is being used as a drawing board.

The pins 44 which pivotally connect the stays 31 and 38 to the endmembers 24 and 25 of the box structure are longer than the thickness ofthe stays, so that the stays can be moved outwardly along these pins andpass by the corresponding eccentric cams to bring the stays to aposition between the cams and the under surface of the top member 26 tothereby place the stays in an out of the way position for closing thebox structure onto the table top, as illustrated in Figure 8.

The fixed side member 23 of the box structure is provided at one endwith a rectangular notch 45 adjacent the upper surface of the table topl3 and a tray 46 in the form of a flat, rectangular plate has adjacentone corner a groove 41 extending longitudinally of the platesubstantially parallel to one edge thereof. When the grooved portion ofthe tray 46 is received in the notch 45 in the member 23 the tray isfirmly supported on the table substantially parallel to the table top,as illustrated in Figure 2, and projects outwardly both laterally andlongitudinally fromthe member 23, so that this tray can be convenientlyused to hold material, such as pencils, ink, paint and crayons while thetop member 26 of the box structure is being used as a drawing board.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flattop, a fiat box structure including spaced apart and substantiallyparallel side members one of which is secured along one edge to saidtable top along one edge of the latter and upstands substantiallyperpendicularly from the table top, end members rigidly secured each atone end to the other side member at respectively opposite ends of thelatter and extending perpendicularly from said other toward said oneside member, and a box top rigidly secured along one side edge and itsend edges to said other side and said end members and hinged along itsother side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latterremote from said table top, said side and end members all being disposedat the same side of, and said other side and end members extendingperpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one sidemember one near each end thereof, and stays pivotally secured each atone end, one to each of said end members intermediate the length of thelatter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each ofsaid hooks and having notches in their distal ends receiving said oneside member to support said box structure in upstanding positionsubstantially perpendicular to said table top.

2. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flattop, a flat box structure including spaced apart and substantially saidone side member, and a box'top rigidly secured along one side edge andits end edges to said other side and said end members and hinged alongits other side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latterremote from said table top, said side and end members all being disposedat the same side of, and said other side and end members extendingperpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one sidemember one near each end thereof, stays pivotally secured each at oneend one to each of said end members intermdiate the length of thelatter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each ofsaid hooks and having notches in their distal ends receiving said oneside member to supportsaid box structure in upstanding positionsubstantially perpendicular to said table top, said stays being alsoadapted.

to rest attheir distal ends on said table top at locations spaced fromsaid one side member, and eccentric cams pivotally mounted one on eachof said end members and respectively engaging said stays to adjustablysupport said box structure. at selected angles of inclination relativeto said table top.

3. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flattop, a flat'box structure including spaced apart and substantiallyparallel side members one of which is secured along one edge to saidtable top along one edge of the latter and upstands substantiallyperpendicularly from the table top, end members rigidly secured each atone endto the other side member at respectively opposite ends of thelatter and extending perpendicularly from said other toward said oneside member, and a box top rigidly secured along one side edge and itsend edges to v said other side and said end members and hinged along itsother side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latterremote from said table top; said'side and end members all being nosed atthe same side of; and said other side a d end members extendingperpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one sidemember one near each end thereof, stays pivotally secured each at oneend one to each of said end members intermediate the length of thelatter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each ofsaid hooks and having notches in posed.

' 1 JAMES A. SWAINBANK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date some Levering Aug 1868 148,067 Jones Mar. 3, 1874 1,233,629Wettergren July 1'7, 1917 2,370,372 Riggio Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 735 Great Britain 1888

